In late August 1944, the 6 man Crew formed at 27 OTU was posted to No. 41 Base, Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.

In early November 1944, the Crew was posted to No. 74 Base, 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit at Marston Moor in Yorkshire. Here they were joined by a Flight Engineer, and as a 7 man Crew, trained in Halifax Bombers. The photos on this page were taken at Marston Moor, Christmas 1944.

Outside the Crew's hut, from left – Engineer – Sergeant F.Brookes RAF;

Mid-Upper Gunner – Flight Sergeant J.M.Tait RAAF;

Navigator – Flight Sergeant N.V.Evans RAAF;

Wireless Operator – Warrant Officer R.R.Taylor RAAF;

Bomb Aimer – Flying Officer M.Frank RAAF;

Rear Gunner – Flight Sergeant M.J.Hibberd RAAF.

Photo taken by Pilot – Flying Officer A.D.J.Ball RAAF.

Marston Moor at Christmas 1944, outside the Crew's hut.

From left – Pilot – Flying Officer A.D.J.Ball RAAF;

Engineer – Sergeant F.Brookes RAF;

Mid-Upper Gunner – Flight Sergeant J.M.Tait RAAF;

Bomb Aimer – Flying Officer M.Frank RAAF;

Navigator – Flight Sergeant N.V.Evans RAAF;

Rear Gunner – Flight Sergeant M.J.Hibberd RAAF.

Marston Moor at Christmas 1944, outside the Crew's hut.

Bomb Aimer – Flying Officer M.Frank RAAF, with icicles.

Marston Moor at Christmas 1944, outside the Crew's hut.

Mid-Upper Gunner – Flight Sergeant J.M.Tait RAAF, with icicle.

Marston Moor at Christmas 1944, outside the Crew's hut.

Pilot – Flying Officer A.D.J.Ball RAAF.

Marston Moor at Christmas 1944, outside the Crew's hut.

Flight Engineer – Sergeant F.Brookes RAF.

Marston Moor at Christmas 1944, outside the Crew's hut.

Wireless Operator – Warrant Officer R.R.Taylor RAAF.

Marston Moor at Christmas 1944, outside the Crew's hut.

Wireless Operator – Warrant Officer R.R.Taylor RAAF, beside the car owned by the 2 Gunners (car seen also in next photo).

Marston Moor at Christmas 1944, outside the Crew's hut.

The car jointly owned by the 2 Gunners – Mid-Upper Gunner Flight Sergeant J.M.Tait RAAF, and Rear Gunner Flight Sergeant M.J.Hibberd RAAF, with Crew's hut in the background.

This area appears to be the general location of all of the above photos.

Marston Moor at Christmas 1944, clearing snow from runway.

From left – Engineer – Sergeant F.Brookes RAF;

Pilot – Flying Officer A.D.J.Ball RAAF;

Rear Gunner – Flight Sergeant M.J.Hibberd RAAF;

Navigator – Flight Sergeant N.V.Evans RAAF;

Wireless Operator – Warrant Officer R.R.Taylor RAAF.

Marston Moor at Christmas 1944, clearing snow from runway.

Marston Moor at Christmas 1944, clearing snow from runway.

Foreground – Pilot – F/Sgt C.H.Weeks RAAF (Charlie), later Flying Officer

Charlie was at No. 41 Base Acaster Malbis, and 1652 HCU Marston Moor at the same times as Pilot Ball and his crew, and it seems that they formed a friendship during those times. Charlie was posted to 77 Squadron on 19 Jan 1945, and then to 199 Squadron at North Creake, Norfolk on 23 April 1945. 199 Squadron was also in 100 Group and North Creake is not far north-west of 462 Squadron at Foulsham.

Marston Moor at Christmas 1944, F/Sgt C.H.Weeks RAAF (Charlie) & his Crew clearing snow from runway.

The crew were identified in August 2015 by the crew's former Flight Engineer Jim Clark, aged 91, and their names advised via his son Mike, with input from Mike's younger brother Bob.

From left to right:-
1. Bill Mottram – Bomb Aimer, nicknamed "Monty".
2. Ken Jones – Navigator.
3. Charles Harold Weeks (Charlie, "Skipper") – Pilot, RAAF, F/Sgt later Flying Officer.
4. James Clark (Jim) – Flight Engineer, leaning on shovel, aged 20.
5. ? Haines – Rear Gunner. Unfortunately his first name has been forgotten. Jim believes that just after the war Haines was killed in some kind of flying accident.
6. Colin Gower – Mid Upper Gunner.
7. Don Murray – Wireless Operator, RAAF.

January 2010 – a page has now been created for Charlie Weeks. Additional information is included with the same photo on that web page.

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